Sending a pie after an interview is the cherry on top of your application.
I had just been flown out for an interview and really wanted to work for the company, so here’s why I sent them a pie.
Pie Delivery: A Las Vegas Story
After being flown out to interview at R&R Partners, the big ad agency behind What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas, I knew I had to work there.
Most people would send a follow up email:
Thank you for your time, it was a real pleasure… can’t do that, too generic.
Others might send a card…
Dear Hiring Manager, I really enjoyed meeting with you… too slow, although thoughtful.
I wanted to stand out.
So I talked it over with my wife, Brooke, and called up a Las Vegas bakery. “Can you please deliver a pie to R&R Partners with a note that simply says “Thanks for the interview. It’d be a real treat to work with you. -Jason”?
I will say, while this sounds clever / fun now, it was scary to send. It felt like it could either be well received or be the tipping point towards weirdness that loses me my dream job.
But I sent it anyway. And got the job.
On my first day my new boss said, “Nice touch with the pie. We knew you wanted the job more than any of our other candidates.”
More Examples
I have seen and heard of many examples of showing interest in the company. Here’s a few of my favorites:
- Follow up with something you talked about. I’ve had people drop off a small plant (since we talked about plants), a product they worked on, or a thoughtful card with some follow ups from our conversation. This works just like the pie; it shows interest in the form of a follow-up.
- Do a small project. In my last job interview I offered to do a market sizing activity on their category. This adds value to them and they can see how you work.
- Send a pizza/doughnuts with your resume on top. This works well because all people eat, and they will discuss/read your resume as they eat the pizza or doughnuts. One guy even posed as a Postmates delivery man to deliver his resume.
Be All In
One of the hardest parts about getting a new job is the uncertainty. Do I really want to move? Will I like the product? Culture? My boss? The job itself? The list is endless.
And I would answer: never show that in the interview.
There’s no reason to. You don’t have the job offer, so why are you worried about any of that? Show them that you’re all in as you positively respond to questions:
Do you want to move to Minneapolis in the winter? Yes, I love the cold!
Why do you want to work with corporate bonds? Because I love bonds and insurance.
Are you willing to lift 50 pounds? Yes, that sounds fun.
Get my (very extreme) point? Just be agreeable. You’re not hired yet. There’s pros and cons to every job, but in an interview you don’t need to decide whether this is where you’re going to spend the rest of your career. An interview is short and intense as-is; you don’t need to be grappling with these big decisions during it. Just go in excited.
I will say that if you find yourself disinterested in the job/company during the interview process, that’s totally fine. You can let them know afterwards that it’s not a good fit or what it would take to have you join.
The All-In Life
Besides just in job interviews, this principle of being all in should permeate into your everyday life.
My rule is I should do things that I absolutely want to do, and do nothing that I only sort of want to do. Just because you get invited to a party, for example, does not mean you have to go.
But for the things I really want to do, such as run a marathon, if I make that decision then I am all in. I’m not going to skip training because I am committed. This can be the same with spending time with your family, working an honest workweek, or eating healthy. Once you decide to do something, give yourself a timeframe and be committed.
Life has so much uncertainty, and in my life I have been far happier when I have decided to be all in on what matters. It has led to fulfillment and happiness that is better than even pie.
